Zion's play

The third grade teacher block let the children choose play parodies to preform for their other classmates.

The team that Zion was on did a play called, "The Three Little Elephants" (instead of the Three Little Pigs) The "big bad wolf" was a mouse - played by Zion. He was also the narrator and took his role

very seriously, memorizing and practicing lines at home for the big event.

His teacher assured me, from set design to costumes, the play was completely student run.

They did a great job and of course, they were adorable!! :)

Here are a few photos / videos.

Setting the stage

Zion as the narrator

Zion changing into the mouse!

Zion (*the big bad mouse!)

One of the elephants houses

The cast of "Three Little Elephants"

T.G.I.F

It is officially, the last Friday of school!  

YIPEE!!

The boys do have to go next Mon-Thursday, but seriously, Michael has all his projects done.
Zion hasn't had homework in 2 weeks, and Isaac has already had his promotion to middle school.

So we are certainly on the downhill slide into summer break.

I am thrilled!

Don't tell the boys, but I hate homework more than they do.

I only make them do it because it's the right thing to do.

My personal theory is that something is lacking in the school system if you can't teach them what they need to know between 8am and 2:45 pm.

Please don't misunderstand me - I am happy with McCool School and my boys' teachers.

But if I could afford a teacher to just teach "my kids" during school hours
(*without homework),
I would totally do it.

Your next question might be:  Then do it yourself.

I would love to do that too.  

But I do not have the organizational skills or the ability to stay focused any longer than the average 6 year old with ADHD - so my kids would learn nothing except how to sleep in all morning and then take a three hour lunch break at the beach.

It's true.....If it were not for guilt and limited finances,  I would be a "Jimmy Buffett" kind of lazy bum.



Moving into summer has the boys busy with activities.


The front desk guy at the gym called me "Miss Melda" yesterday.


I guess we are there a lot!


Mon/Wed/Friday has JC and Michael doing a summer basketball clinic.

Wed and Friday are aikido days for Isaac and Zy.

I am there almost every morning logging my five miles on the treadmill.   So, we are becoming regulars!

Regarding running,  my friend Jennifer prompted me to make a long term goal for my running.

So....I am putting it in writing.

1000 miles by my next birthday.

It's about 4 miles per day Monday-Friday.   Although, I would like to start logging some "longer" runs on Saturdays and build up distance and endurance.

So....onward into the weekend!

Happy Summer!!

Monday Madness

Weekends are great fun at the Thorntons.

                                 We mostly spend time together, and forget about the rest.

For this reason, Monday for me is crazy.

4 people

x school uniforms

+ sports clothes

+ Mike's PT

+ my attempt at training myself to run

+ trips to the beach

= a TON of laundry by Monday morning

Seriously

Very thankful for this washer and dryer provided by Uncle Sam

Piles of stink

By the time the school bus rolls up at 3pm, I am "almost" done

The boys Monday chore is to put away their pile of clean laundry

Does everyone have a giant pile of socks?

or just me?

I gave up trying to get the boys to take off their socks in a manner that didn't create a ball.

I just wash the socks

The big balls don't get completely clean or dry

I secret thought this would force the boys to turn their socks

right side out

and un-ball them

I.

 was.

 wrong.

If you are completely disgusted that I wash socks that way

come do my laundry

This is how I spend Mondays

Brotherly Love

Michael and Isaac -
ahh......I don't even know what to say about the relationship between these two.

Yesterday at the pool, I made them hug each other.

Isaac was on it!

Michael - not so much.

Sam snapped the photos!

Hysterical!

After I told them to hug -

Isaac responds - and I instruct Michael to "hug back"



Michael's "hug" look a little bit like a choke hold



McCool D.A.R.E program

The D.A.R.E program here on Guam is run by active duty military.

It consists of a 10-week program for 5th graders and ends with an awards ceremony.

Here are a couple photos from the event.

I have videos of the kids singing too.........but for some reason, it won't upload.

I'm not sure if it's a blogger error or not.

It has been acting tricky lately, but also, Mike and the boys took my phone on a hike last week (to use the GPS) and they got it wet.  It's not acting right...........and they wonder why I hide my things from them.

Hmmm.........

Familiar Faces! (*part 3)

Hey,

If you want, you can go back and read part 1 of familiar faces here.

And part 2...........here.

So for part three,  we have another group of Seabees on island.

NMCB 11 from Gulfport has gone back to their families.

In their place is NMCB 133 - also from Gulfport.

Welcome to Guam a great friend of our family,  Nick Yamodis!

He is just here for a quick DET swing, so only Mike got to see him during the work day.

Of course, the boys were sad that the rest of the family wasn't along for the ride, but we will take what we can get in the way of visitors here in the middle of the island.  

Next time Nick, at least stay long enough to come over for dinner!

Tsunami Swim Club - Memorial Day

Memorial Day was also the end of the season party for Tsunami Swim Club.

Everyone had a great day!

Here are a few several photos!

Door prizes!   LOTS of them!

That's MR. President to you!

Asst. Coach Lewis

Coach Toshi

Zion

Michael

Kinda strange for me to see Michael just "hanging out"
You know, like a teenager..........



Asan Park is a beautiful area that used to be a battle field 60+ years ago.

This is one of the locations that the U.S. Marines first landed on the island of Guam to reclaim the island from the Japanese forces and liberate the people of Guam.  A flag was placed in the field to show the loss of life here.  The photo does not show the magnitude of loss on this battle field.

It's overwhelming.

I wrote about my first visit to Asan Park here.

On this Memorial Day, 2011 - 
I want to say THANK YOU 
to all our service members and their families.  


All gave some..............


SOME GAVE ALL!